Debates of Feb. 2nd, 1998

Iraq

[The Speaker]

I would encourage all hon. members to make their questions so that they are not hypothetical.

[Bob Mills, Reform, Red Deer, AB]

Mr. Speaker, we have a proud tradition and I believe that is being put in jeopardy because of the way this government is sitting on the fence. What specific resources will we commit if in fact we are asked for them?

[Lloyd Axworthy, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, the proud tradition of this country is to evaluate and assess the facts, not to engage in hypothetical speculation. Canadians expect us to be realistic.

What we are doing is taking a realistic approach to the situation. We have indicated our support for the necessary action to get Saddam Hussein to live up to his obligations. We are supporting the United Nations in that respect.

Ice Storm

[Pauline Picard, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Industry.

During the recent unprecedented storm, a number of businesses and industries suffered losses of all sorts—stock, production and marketing losses. They have also had to absorb very high costs such as the cost of renting and using generators, which are much more costly than the regular systems.

How does the government intend, in its negotiations with Quebec, to give special attention to businesses in central Quebec and in the Montérégie region hard hit by the crisis?

[Marcel Massé, Liberal, President of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for Infrastructure]

Mr. Speaker, during the crisis in the Saguenay we faced the same problem and we set up a program, where the costs were shared with the province of Quebec, to enable business to get back on its feet.

In my negotiations with Mr. Brassard to date, during which I gave him an initial cheque for $50 million, I wanted to address the question of assistance to business. He has indicated to me that we could discuss this matter later on. Groups have already been established for negotiations on the subject.

Privacy

[Sheila Finestone, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Industry.

Health cards, credit cards, smart cards, all types of electronic commerce and the trade and sale of the information that they hold directly affects our privacy. Our study here in the House showed that once privacy is lost, it can never be regained.

What is the government doing in this new high tech world to protect the privacy of our personal information particularly in the private sector?

[Walt Lastewka, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Mount Royal for her question and her concern in this matter.

The Government of Canada has just released documentation and discussion papers and will be seeking input from across the country. We must ensure consumer information is confidential. There are a number of basic principles that we must maintain. Some of those basic principles include confidentiality, accountability, consent, accuracy and openness. We are starting on a consultation process in order to make this legislation happen.

Judicial System

[Rahim Jaffer, Reform, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Speaker, in 1996, a 17-year-old Quebecker was brutally raped by two men. Last week, she was raped again, by our judicial system this time, as both men who committed this harrowing crime were allowed to go free.

This unacceptable sentence is the result of the Liberal legal loophole known as conditional sentencing.

Will the Minister of Justice put an immediate end to this legal loophole?

[Anne McLellan, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, in fact the hon. member raises a very disturbing situation, a very disturbing and tragic case in Montreal last week. First let me point out that my colleague, the attorney general of Quebec, Mr. Ménard, is appealing that case. Obviously it would be inappropriate for me to comment any further in relation to the facts of the case.

The hon. member more generally speaks of conditional sentencing. I made it very plain in this House that conditional sentencing is a relatively new provision in our Criminal Code. Courts of appeal across this country are developing guidelines for lower courts and we must await the outcome of those cases before considering further action.

[Rahim Jaffer, Reform, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Speaker, all the excuses in the world will not heal the scars this young woman will bear for the rest of her life. She was injured twice: first by her two assailants and then by our judicial system.

Will the minister draw a lesson from this painful incident and immediately amend the law?

[Anne McLellan, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, in fact as I have already indicated, it was a very tragic circumstance. My colleague the attorney general of Quebec is appealing the case.

Perhaps in relation to the more general question of conditional sentencing, I can do no better than to quote my provincial colleague, John Havelock of the province of Alberta in referring to conditional sentencing: “I like the flexibility in conditional sentencing. As opposed to having the federal government developing some very specific guidelines, we can have the courts reacting to the needs of their respective communities across the country”.

Banking

[Nelson Riis, NDP, Kamloops, BC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Finance. I am sure he will agree with me when I say that many young Canadians concerned about their future were driven to occupy one of the chartered banks last weeks, banks that show little concern for the well-being of our young people. In consideration of their future, will the Minister of Finance stamp the monster merger as NSF and tell the banks that the deal has no serious future in Canada?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I have already replied on a couple of occasions in this House in terms of the bank mergers.

I would certainly like to express the government's great concern with the whole question of student debt. Indeed it is why the prime minister before Christmas stood up in this House and announced the scholarship millennium fund to deal directly with that issue. It is why in the 1997 budget the government brought in a series of measures to deal with the whole question of student debt. It is why this government is very much concerned to make sure that young Canadians have equal access to higher education.

[Nelson Riis, NDP, Kamloops, BC]

Mr. Speaker, not sufficient funds is how the banks describe their inability to compete globally. They say that size matters and that is how they justify this monster merger proposal. Many financial analysts say today that the fixation with size is absurd. Will the minister reject this monster merger and stamp it NSF, no such fixation?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member raises a number of interesting points. I would hope in the great public debate that will follow the report of the task force and in the debates that will take place in this House of Commons that he will make those points to the Canadian public.

Iraq

[André Bachand, Progressive Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member for Sherbrooke directed his question to the Prime Minister. My question is also for the Prime Minister.

Could the Prime Minister stand in this House and explain the government's official position regarding Iraq? We will recall that, in 1991, when his party was in opposition, the Prime Minister stated “We will let the embargo and sanctions do their work”. In the meantime, with the ongoing sanctions and embargo, thousands of innocent men, women and children are dying in Iraq.

Does the Prime Minister agree that a debate should be held in this House before rather than after war has been declared?

[Lloyd Axworthy, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is not much of a historian. He would know for example that in 1996 we fully supported the actions to ensure that Saddam Hussein would live up to the obligations. The same stands today. We want him to live up to the obligations and we are prepared to support those measures to make sure it happens.

[André Bachand, Progressive Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Mr. Speaker, let us continue with this minister. In 1991 this minister refused to support any Canadian intervention under our traditional allied flag. He then said Canadian participation should only be done under the UN flag.

In light of these recent events has the minister changed his position? Will he let Canada support an armed intervention in Iraq that will not be under the UN flag?

[Lloyd Axworthy, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I am sorry the hon. member keeps compounding his ignorance. The fact is that I and my colleagues voted for the resolution in 1991 and the record will show that. Before they start asking the questions, they should go back and do their research and their homework much better than they clearly are doing.

Housing

[Janko Peric, Liberal, Cambridge, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the minister responsible for the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

The government has announced that it is extending funding for the residential rehabilitation assistance program, the emergency repair program and the home adaptations for seniors independence program. Why is the federal government extending these programs at this time and where is the money coming from?

[Alfonso Gagliano, Liberal, Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, last Friday I announced that this government intended to extend RRAP, the residential rehabilitation assistance program, for the next five years, investing a total of $250 million.

Where does the money come from? It is due to the good management of this government so that we can reallocate funds and respond to the needs of the provincial and municipal governments and private sector stakeholders. They all want the government to remain in this program so we can commit to safer communities.

Canada Pension Plan

[Diane Ablonczy, Reform, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the new RRSP bonds will pay 4%, guaranteed. The new CPP will pay young Canadians 1.8%, well maybe, according to the fund's chief actuary. Why should our children be forced to invest in the CPP when they could earn more than twice as much with the safest of government bonds?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, throughout a good portion of the September to December debate in this House, Reform Party members, including the hon. member, kept pointing out that the provinces would not support the Canada pension plan. They kept pointing out that the Canadian people would not support the Canada pension plan. The fact is that the provinces overwhelmingly support the Canada pension plan. Canadians overwhelmingly support the Canada pension plan. In fact the only Canadians who do not are the members of the Reform Party and they are out of it again.

Violence In Algeria

[Daniel Turp, Bloc, Beauharnois—Salaberry, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

More than 1,500 people were reported killed in Algeria during Ramadan, and there seems to be no end in sight for the massacre of Algerian civilians, including women and children, while there is still no clear picture of who is responsible for these massacres, and the reasons behind them.

Can the minister tell us what he knows about the situation in Algeria at the present time, as well as when he plans to release the report by his special envoy?

[Lloyd Axworthy, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to state first of all that the Canadian government strongly condemns the violence in Algeria. As the hon. member knows, the government sent a special envoy to discuss Canadian assistance in putting an end to this violence. At the present time, we received an indication that Algeria is prepared to receive a delegation of parliamentarians and I hope my colleague the House leader will be able to head up a group of parliamentarians in the coming months. I have invited a group of—